Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sundried Tomato Beefaroni (Frugal Food Thursday)

beefaroniWelcome to Frugal Food Thursday!  If you have a great frugal recipe, please link up below! 

This is definitely not a gourmet meal.

I love comfort food, and beefaroni definitely fits the bill. It's also easy to make, and kids love it!  Pasta is always on sale - I recently got the whole-grain kind for under 30¢ per box - and tomato sauce is always cheap, too.  Add onions, mushrooms, and green peppers to the ground beef and voila, yummy and cheap dinner!

I made this just a little nicer tonight by adding in some sundried tomatoes. Usually that's not a frugal ingredient, but last week, Publix had a buy one, get one free sale on SunDry brand sundried tomatoes. I was really happy to be able to get this ingredient at half price!

Of course, you can make sundried tomatoes yourself cheaply when tomatoes are at their lowest price, or grow your own. Here are some instructions to dry tomatoes in your oven.

Enjoy!

SUNDRIED TOMATO BEEFARONI

8 oz dry elbow macaroni
2 oz sundried tomatoes, sliced into thin strips
2 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
1 4 oz can mushrooms, drained
12 oz jarred tomato sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, cook elbow macaroni according to package directions; drain.

Fill a small bowl with the hottest tap water.  Place the sundried tomatoes in the bowl and allow the tomatoes to rehydrate while the rest of the dish is cooking.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes.  Add the green pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, making sure that the garlic does not burn.  Remove vegetables to a separate large bowl.

Add the ground beef and cook until meat is no longer pink.  Remove accumulated fat from the pan.  Return the vegetables to the skillet and add in the mushrooms; stir until well-combined.

Turn heat to high, add the tomato sauce and spices, and mix well.  When boiling, turn heat down to medium-low and cook for 5-10 minutes.  Add in the macaroni and sundried tomatoes; mix so that the sauce coats all ingredients and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Serve!

There are lots more cheap recipes posted here at Frugal FolliesClick here for the list!

Got a great frugal recipe?  Link below to your actual post, not your main page.  Please only link up recipes and other food-related posts; contest entries and other posts are not allowed and will be deleted. I'd appreciate it if you would link back to Frugal Food Thursday as well!





For more great recipes, please go to my Linkup Parties list and scroll down to Food Linkups. There are lots of great recipes on each blog and I'm sure you'll find some new favorites!



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5 comments:

Jessica February 9, 2012 at 10:31 AM  

I posted my chai recipe which is a frugal way to get an amazing amount of nutrients.

Miz Helen February 10, 2012 at 4:30 PM  

I dry tomatoes in the oven and have a fabulous recipe on my blog. I really like you Beefaroni, we would really enjoy the great pasta dish.
Hope you have a fabulous week end and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen

Anonymous,  February 11, 2012 at 7:52 PM  

This sounds great! I've always like the flavor sun dried tomatoes give pasta.

Thanks for linking up to Friday Food on Momtrends.com!

Unknown February 14, 2012 at 10:42 PM  

sometimes comfort food is just what the doctor, err, stomach ordered. who needs gourmet every night? Not this chick!

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